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Atheistic Elementary School Instruction Challenged

Topeka, Kansas–Families across Kansas became one step closer, today, to protecting their children from forced atheistic teaching in their public school system. Pacific Justice Institute filed a complaint in Federal District Court challenging the State Board of Education’s (BOE) adoption of certain science standards which would create a hostile learning environment for those of faith. The standards being challenged are the Next Generation Science Standards adopted by the BOE June 11, 2013, and the corresponding Framework for K-12 Science Education: Practices, Crosscutting Concepts and Core Ideas.

In addition to citing numerous areas of law that the standards violate, the complaint cites that the standards cause the state “to promote religious beliefs that are inconsistent with the theistic religious beliefs of plaintiffs, thereby depriving them of the right to be free from government that favors one religious view over another.”

If the complete injunction against implementation of the standards is not granted, the complaint requests an alternative injunction that would stop these standards for grades K-8, and would allow the standards for grades 9-12 as long as the standards are objective “so as to produce a religiously neutral effect with respect to theistic and non-theistic religion.”

Brad Dacus, President of Pacific Justice Institute noted, “it’s an egregious violation of the rights of Americans to subject students—as young as five—to an authoritative figure such as a teacher who essentially tells them that their faith is wrong.” He continued, “it’s one thing to explore alternatives at an appropriate age, but to teach theory that is devoid of any alternative which aligns with the belief of people of faith is just wrong.”

Co-counsel in this case include Property Law Firm, LLC, of Leawood, Kansas, and Calvert Law Offices, of Kansas City, Missouri. To obtain a copy of the complaint, please click here.

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